Rahvarinne

Rahvarinne

The Popular Front of Estonia ( _et. Rahvarinne) - initially introduced to the public by Estonian politician Edgar Savisaar as the "Popular Front for the Support of Perestroika" - a name soon discarded - was a political organization in Estonia in late 1980s and early 1990s. It was to a substantial degree the precursor to the current Estonian Centre Party, although with a much broader base of popularity at the beginning. It was a major force in the Estonian independence movement that led to the re-establishment of the Republic of Estonia as a country independent from the Soviet Union. It was similar to the Popular Front of Latvia and the Sąjūdis movement in Lithuania and a number of Popular Fronts that were created almost simultaneously in many parts of the USSR. The Baltic States, compared to other component parts of the USSR, were in a unique category, having previously been European parliamentary democracies that were annexed by the Soviet Union in 1940. The Popular Front of Estonia was founded in 1988 by Marju Lauristin and Edgar Savisaar. Savisaar initiated the foundation in April, 1988 in a live broadcast ("Mõtleme veel") on Estonian TV, advocating support of Gorbachevian perestroika.

The Popular Front of Estonia together with the Popular Front of Latvia and the Sąjūdis organized the Baltic Way mass "arm-in-arm" manifestation extending through three Baltic states on August 23, 1989 that marked 50th anniversary of August 23, 1939 when the Soviet Union and Nazi Germany signed the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact, which resulted in the forcible incorporation of these three states into the Soviet Union and the loss of their independence. The front was opposed by the Intermovement that represented the pro-Soviet part of Estonia's ethnic Russian minority and other ethnic groups that had been settled in Estonia during the Soviet occupation period. The Popular Front was a supporter of perestroika, while the Intermovement was seen as opposed to Gorbachev's reforms. As time went by, an ever greater chasm developed between the initial thrust of the Popular Front, leading members of which at first advocated mere autonomy within a Soviet system that Gorbachev was trying to reform in a cautious way, and the eventual context of the Estonian Popular Front, which - although still controlled largely by Edgar Savisaar - came to stand for true independence, an idea supported by the rank and file. Consequently the Estonian Popular Front changed a great deal over time, until political parties came to replace such movements in Estonia during the early nineties. This rendered the Popular Front of Estonia an anachronism, and it eventually faded away.

See also

* Eesti Rahvusliku Sõltumatuse Partei, another political party of the era

References

* [http://www.einst.ee/factsheets/factsheets_uus_kuju/the_restoration_of_estonian_independence.htm The Restoration of Estonian Independence]
* [http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3996/is_200610/ai_n17194600/pg_1 Nationalism and the Transition to Democracy: The Post-Soviet Experience]
* [http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,958403-4,00.html Soviet Union Cry Independence] - "Time" magazine - August 21, 1989


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужно решить контрольную?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Rahvarinne — (estnisch für „Volksfront“) war Ende der 1980er Jahre der Name für eine demokratische Oppositionsbewegung gegen die sowjetische Herrschaft in Estland. Sie löste sich nach Wiedererlangung der estnischen Unabhängigkeit Ende 1991 auf.… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Народный Фронт Эстонии — (эст. Eestimaa Rahvarinne) (официальное название: Народный фронт в поддержку перестройки) (НФЭ) был политическим движением, рождённым гражданской инициативой и самым большим массовым движением Эстонии. 13 апреля 1988, в вечерней передаче… …   Википедия

  • Народный фронт Эстонии — Политика  Портал:Политика Эстония Эта статья  часть серии: Полит …   Википедия

  • National Front — The name National Front is used by a number of political parties and coalitions. Albania National Front (Albania) Belarus Partyja BPF Belgium National Front (Belgium) Botswana Botswana National Front Burma Chin National Front Chad National Front… …   Wikipedia

  • Occupation of the Baltic states — Part of a series of articles on the Occupation and annexation of the Baltic states …   Wikipedia

  • Liberalism in Estonia — This article gives an overview of liberalism and centrism in Estonia. It is limited to liberal and centrist parties with substantial support, mainly proved by having had a representation in parliament. The sign ⇒ denotes another party in that… …   Wikipedia

  • Occupation of the Baltic republics by Nazi Germany — Part of a series of articles on the Occupation and annexation of the Baltic states Baltic …   Wikipedia

  • Eesti Rahvusliku Sõltumatuse Partei — The Eesti Rahvusliku Sõltumatuse Partei (Estonian for Estonian National Independence Party ), commonly abbreviated ERSP , was a major political party in Estonia during the last years of Soviet occupation, and played a very considerable rôle in re …   Wikipedia

  • Marju Lauristin — in July, 2009 1st Estonian Minister of Social Affairs Succeeded by Toomas Vilosius Personal details Born 7 April 1940 (1940 04 07) (age 71) …   Wikipedia

  • Edgar Savisaar — (* 31. Mai 1950 in der Gemeinde Harku) ist ein estnischer Politiker. Er war von 1990 bis 1992 Ministerpräsident der Republik Estland. Inhaltsverzeichnis …   Deutsch Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”